Home
Garden Plants


About Natal Plum and Buttonbush


About Buttonbush and Natal Plum


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Annual and Perennial  

Type
Shrub  
Shrub  

Origin
Southern Africa  
South Africa  

Types
Carissa Carandas  
Cephalanthus occidentalis  

Number of Varieties
4  
7  

Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas  
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy  

USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11  
9-11  

AHS Heat Zone
12-9  
9-1  

Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  

Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming  
Upright/Erect  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
60.00 cm  
99+
365.76 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
60.00 cm  
99+
182.88 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
White  
Light Yellow, Ivory  

Flower Color Modifier
-  
-  

Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red  
Brown  

Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green  
Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green  
Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green  
Green  

Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green  
Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish  
Egg-shaped  

Thorns
Yes  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Slow  
Medium  

Type of Soil
Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral  
Acidic, Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Average  

Bloom Time
Indeterminate  
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter  

Repeat Bloomer
Yes  
Yes  

Tolerances
Drought  
Wet Site  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot  
Ground, Pot  

How to Plant?
Seedlings  
Seedlings, Stem Cutting  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs  
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line  

In Summer
Lots of watering  
Lots of watering  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral  
Acidic, Neutral  

Soil Type
Loam, Sand  
Loam, Sand  

Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained  
Average  

Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves  
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves  

Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer  

Pests and Diseases
Aphids  
Red blotch  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Wet Site  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Yes  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
-  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
Yes  
Yes  

Edible Fruit
Yes  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
Yes  
-  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
-  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
-  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
Yes  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Medium  
Fine  

Foliage Sheen
Glossy  
Matte  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
No  
No  

Self-Sowing
No  
Yes  

Attracts
Birds  
Butterflies  

Allergy
Mildly Toxic  
Toxic  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Air purification  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C  
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic  

Part of Plant Used
Fruits  
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood  

Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces  
Used for woodware  

Used As Indoor Plant
Yes  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical  
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'  
BERZELIA lanuginosa  

Common Name
Large Num-Num  
Buttonbush  

In Hindi
नेटाल बेर  
Buttonbush shrub  

In German
Natal Plum  
Button Strauch  

In French
natal Plum  
buttonbush arbuste  

In Spanish
Ciruela Natal  
arbusto buttonbush  

In Greek
Natal Plum  
Buttonbush θάμνος  

In Portuguese
Natal Plum  
arbusto Buttonbush  

In Polish
Natal Plum  
Buttonbush krzew  

In Latin
Natal Plum  
Frutex Buttonbush  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Magnoliopsida  
Magnoliopsida  

Order
Gentianales  
Rubiales  

Family
Apocynaceae  
Bruniaceae  

Genus
Carissa  
Cephalanthus  

Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  

Tribe
Carisseae  
-  

Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae  
-  

Number of Species
20  
12  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Natal Plum and Buttonbush

Wondering what are the properties of Natal Plum and Buttonbush? We provide you with everything About Natal Plum and Buttonbush. Natal Plum has thorns and Buttonbush doesn't have thorns. Also Natal Plum does not have fragrant flowers. Natal Plum has allergic reactions like Mildly Toxic and Buttonbush has allergic reactions like Mildly Toxic. Compare all the properties and characteristics of these two plants. Find out which of these plant can be used as indoor plant. If you are interested to decorate your house and garden, find out aesthetic uses, compare them and select the plant which will beautify your surrounding. Along with beautification, try comparing medicinal and edible uses of Natal Plum and Buttonbush and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

Compare Most Useful Shrub Plants

Season and Care of Natal Plum and Buttonbush

Season and care of Natal Plum and Buttonbush is important to know. While considering everything about Natal Plum and Buttonbush Care, growing season is an essential factor. Natal Plum season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Buttonbush season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Natal Plum is Loam, Sand and for Buttonbush is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Natal Plum is Acidic, Neutral and for Buttonbush is Acidic, Neutral.

Natal Plum and Buttonbush Physical Information

Natal Plum and Buttonbush physical information is very important for comparison. Natal Plum height is 60.00 cm and width 60.00 cm whereas Buttonbush height is 365.76 cm and width 182.88 cm. The color specification of Natal Plum and Buttonbush are as follows:

Care of Natal Plum and Buttonbush

Care of Natal Plum and Buttonbush include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Natal Plum pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Buttonbush pruning is done Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves and Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves. In summer Natal Plum needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Buttonbush needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.

Most Useful Shrub Plants

Most Useful Shrub Plants

» More Most Useful Shrub Plants

Compare Most Useful Shrub Plants

» More Compare Most Useful Shrub Plants